The present invention relates to an apparatus for processing flexible, sheet-like products and which is intended for slowing down the products fed to a receiving region of the apparatus and then conveying the products to a transfer region.
An apparatus of this general type is known from EP-B-0 638 503. The apparatus disclosed therein has a decelerating drum which is driven in rotation about its axis and on which there are arranged, at regular intervals one behind the other in the circumferential direction, conveying elements which are formed in each case by a pair of rollers. A feed conveyor introduces a signature sheet tangentially, in relation to the decelerating drum, into the roller gap of the pair of rollers respectively moving through a receiving region. In this case, the speed of circulation of the pair of rollers about the drum axis and the circumferential speed of the rollers oriented in the direction of circulation in the roller gaps are brought into line with the conveying speed of the feed conveyor. The leading edge of the signature sheet is then driven by a desired distance into the roller gap before the rotation of the pairs of rollers about the axes thereof is stopped. In a transfer region, the rollers are then driven in a direction of rotation counter to the direction of rotation in the receiving region, in order to release the relevant signature sheet from the roller gap. This results in the signature sheets being additionally slowed down and makes it possible for the signature-sheet speed to be adapted to the speed of a removal conveyor which receives the signature sheets. The reversing drive of the pairs of rollers, on the one hand, requires considerably outlay and, on the other hand, results in the products being subjected to considerable stressing, which limits the processing capacity of the apparatus.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of the described type wherein, in the case of a high processing speed, careful handling of the products is ensured.